☽☽☽
"YOU'RE WAVING YOUR WAND WRONG"
"I'm a perfectly good wand waver thank you very much"
"Oh stop being so crude" Athena rolled her eyes at Sirius as she leant over the desk and took his wrist in her hand.
"Look" she guided him to perform the right charm causing a smirk to play over his lips,
"Good with wands, are you?"
"Oh. Shut. Up" Athena sighed as she repeatedly smacked him over the head with a book.
"Right, right" Sirius laughed, "I get it" he snatched the book off her and chucked it back however to his displeasure she simply caught it and lay it neatly on the desk.
"It's my birthday tomorrow" Sirius smiled, "finally sixteen"
"Is it actually?" Athena smiled, "this years going too fast"
"I know" he rolled his eyes.
"Oh shit... I haven't got you a present",
"You don't have to get me a present"
"Well I won't be able to buy anything now" she fretted as her mind raced for an idea.
"Rena" he laughed causing her to snap back in to reality, "you don't need to get me anything"
"But it's your birthday" Athena pouted slightly as she rested her head in her hands,
"I was thinking... after lessons tomorrow we could... go down to the quidditch pitch"
"I'm not flying if that's what you're suggesting" Rena protested,
"I'll teach you" Sirius beamed, "please... for me"
"Don't put on the puppy dog eyes" Athena laughed as she pushed his face away, "yes I'll come with you"
"Thanks" he smiled softly, "we have transfigurations now, what do you have?" He asked as he began to pack up his things.
"Potions" Athena rolled her eyes, "I can't be bothered to do antidotes anymore... they're boring"
"I'll see you later" he smirked as he left the room.
Athena packed up her own books and was about to follow Tommy and Tessa when she felt a hand pulling her robes back.
"What?" She turned to see Marlene looking rather haggard with bags under her eyes and a stressed look on her face, "you ok Marls?"
"I need to talk to you" she said quickly as they paved down a corridor together,
"What about lessons" Athena muttered noticing that Marlene was getting closer and closer to the Gryffindor common room,
"You skip lessons all the time" Marlene replied simply.
"Ok sure" Athena shrugged beginning to worry that Marlene wasn't ok, she didn't usually make a habit of skiving.
"Fortuna major" Marlene told the portrait of Elizabeth who swung aside to let the girls in.
The common room was practically empty. Sixth and seventh year students were allowed a lot of free periods meaning there were a few of them scattered around, some were revising while others were playing cards of wizard chess.
"Up here" Marlene announced as she began climbing the wooden steps up to the girls dormitories.
"Marls what's going on?" Athena asked as the blonde girl began pacing the room,
"Sorry I didn't mean to drag you away from your lesson but... well we're never alone"
"No I guess not" Athena shrugged as she perched on the end of a bed she presumed to be Lily's due to how tidy it was. "Usually with the others"
"I've been going back and forward in my mind about whether I'm ready to tell someone this but... I think I am"
"Tell someone what?" Rena frowned in confusion,
"Look I trust you" Marlene sat on the bed next to her, "I trust Lily and Dorcas too but... well I don't know telling you feels right"
"Telling me what?" Athena continued,
"You have to promise not to tell anyone" the blonde girl pleaded, "this is big stuff Rena like big stuff"
"Marls" Rena laughed, "of course I won't tell anyone"
"I'm a lesbian" she blurted out before proceeding to bury her face into her hands, "just don't say anything for a moment I want to let it settle in that I actually told someone" she continued in a muffled voice.
Athena's eyes a widened slightly but something told her not to be surprised. Maybe it was because she'd known for a while that Dorcas had feelings for Marlene which had led her to assume that Marlene was gay however it seemed that Dorcas wasn't even aware of this.
"Ok you can say something now" Marlene looked up her face red from being squashed against her hands,
"I'm so proud of you!" Athena cheered as she pulled her friend into a hug,
"Proud?" Marlene smiled in confusion.
"That you told someone... that can't have been easy"
"No actually it wasn't" she sighed happily, "I decided I was going to tell you in March I think and now it's..."
"November" Athena completed her sentence.
"I've known since second year I think... that's when I began to realise... well when the girls were all talking about boys and I just didn't get it"
Athena listened carefully while Marlene took to fidgeting with one of the larger rings lacing her fingers.
"At the time I thought it was just because I was young but then the next year... well I had a crush on this Slytherin girl a few years above us, I think she was a few years older anyway... called Narcissa"
"I think I remember her... blonde hair?"
"Yeah" Marlene smiled, "and I thought I was weird because I had a crush on her... I didn't understand what that meant because my parents always told me that men should be with women, women should be with men"
"That's society for you" Athena grimaced,
"Last year I read about it in a book... not like a factual book, a story book about two girls falling in love and I wondered... why there wasn't more books like that"
"I wish there was... the boy meets girl is cute for a while but it gets a bit bland to read about"
"I agree" Marlene laughed, "anyway I asked my older brother ... you know Casey... about it and he told me that girls could like girls"
"Always liked Casey" Athena nodded,
"Obviously I'd heard of the term gay before" Marlene smiled, "but I never realised that... it was so huge, it sounds stupid now looking back but I always thought it was rare... or even fictional"
"It's not your fault... if people keep sheltering someone away as though it's wrong it's harder to learn the truth" Athena shrugged,
"Last year I hated myself for it... I was angry about it as well because I didn't understand why it had to happen to me"
"Anyway that's why in March I was going to tell you... I felt like a had to tell someone because it was a weight to deal with on my own"
Athena rested her head on Marlene's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.
"You don't have to do anything on your own...I'll always be here"
"You're the best" Marlene smiled, "I made the right decision in telling you"
"I'd hope that all of our friends would react the same... not that you have to tell them obviously"
"I'd hope so" Marlene sighed, "but I'm ok with just you knowing for now"
☽☽☽
The air was cold around Athena as she hurried out onto the quidditch pitch. It was seven meaning students shouldn't be wandering around outside especially in the winter when the sun set so early.
She was holding a badly wrapped present in her hands, she'd resorted to using packing paper and twine ribbon as it was impossible to find any wrapping paper in Hogwarts.
Sirius was waiting by the edge of the pitch, his usual leather jacket drawn over his shoulders as he leant up two brooms by his side. One of these was his own with the tapered tail and beautiful woodwork, the other was one of the schools old 'Clean Sweeps'
"Evening" Athena smiled as she walked over, he looked up and smiled immediately upon seeing her,
"For a moment I thought you weren't coming" he admitted.
"Wrapping this just took a little longer than expected" she beamed as she handed the suitably wrapped present out in front of her,
"I told you not to get me anything" Sirius sighed with a small laugh as he took it, "thank you"
"Technically I didn't get you anything" Athena shrugged as he tore back the twine and the paper.
Beneath the layers of wrapping sat a book that had been read so many times that the pages were slightly crinkled.
"The Great Gatsby" he laughed as he turned the book over in his palms, "I guess I have to read it now"
"Course you do" Athena smirked, "you'll love it I'm sure... and if you don't well just don't tell me"
"Fair enough... so I'm going to read this muggle book... and you're going to try flying"
"Which isn't going to go well" Athena sighed as she stared at the brooms lying on the floor,
"Course it is because I'm teaching you" Sirius reasoned, "and I'm the best teacher there is"
"Sorry I can't even see you... for your massive ego" Athena joked,
"Shhh" Sirius laughed as he placed his hand over his own broom which flew up without him even needing to say a word.
"Come on" he prompted as the broom hovered in the air,
"You want me to get on that?" She shivered, wrapping the sleeves of her jumper tighter around her,
"I'm right here" Sirius promised as she stepped closer.
"Shockingly that doesn't console me very much" admitted Athena,
"Well I am offended" Sirius smirked.
Athena cautiously put one leg over the broom and placed her hands on the front of it carefully.,
"If we fly high enough we'll get the best view" Sirius smirked, "we can see the stars reflecting in the lake"
"Heights aren't my strong point" Athena muttered.
"Then we don't have to go high at all" Sirius smiled as he nudged the front of the broom. It lifted slightly into the air and Athena wobbled a bit as she tried to steady herself.
Sirius steadied it as he laughed slightly under his breath,
"Sorry" he murmured, "you just look so serious"
"I'm trying not to fall off" Athena defended.
"Even if you fell off you'd only fall three feet" Sirius laughed, without another word he too swung his leg over the broom so he was sitting behind her.
"Better?" He asked as she brood steadied.
"I still don't like the idea of it flyING" she screamed as the broom rose slowly into the air.
"It's fine I've got you" Sirius laughed as the broom continued to rise,
"You said we weren't going high" Athena protested,
"This isn't high" Sirius chuckled as he steadied the broom so it was floating in the air.
Athena was sitting ridged on the broom still worried that she was going to fall off at any moment.
"Relax" Sirius laughed again as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back into him.
"Easy for you to say" Athena murmured, "you do this all the time"
"Do you want to go higher?" Sirius asked as he edged the broom up slightly,
"You said we weren't going to go higher" pointed out Athena,
"But I'm not going to let you fall" he smirked.
"What if you fall?"
"That's not going to happen"
"I'm not so SURE" Athena yelled as the broom yet again ascended.
"See you're fine" Sirius laughed, "just don't look down" he added as their legs dangled over the side of the broom,
"You're the worst" Athena murmured as she lay her head back into his chest.
"Look though" he murmured, Athena turned her head to see the lake shimmering in the moonlight only a bit away.
It seemed even more magical at this height.
"It's a full moon" Athena noted,
"Not for a few more days" Sirius shook his head, "if you look to the left hand side of it you can tell... see there, there's still a slither of shadow, do you see?"
"Yeah I do" Athena nodded as she gazed at the moon, "it's beautiful though isn't it"
"Yeah it is" Sirius agreed, "not sure Remus thinks so"
"Remus isn't afraid of the moon he's afraid of the dark" Athena corrected him.
"I know" Sirius blurted quickly, "I'm just joking around"
"We should go down now" Athena noted,
"Probably, hold on tight"
"Sirius don't you DARE" she yelled as the broom began sailing towards the ground. She slammed her eyes shut as Sirius held her tight to him until they were a safe distance away from the floor.
Athena practically fell off the broom as she stumbled up and smacked Sirius in the side of his arm,
"I can't believe you" she muttered,
"You enjoyed it" Sirius defended, "don't deny it"
Athena murmured something to herself under her breath which only made Sirius laugh,
"Ok next time I'll tell you when I'm going to dive down"
"I'm not going up there again" Athena laughed, "you'll have to get me drunk first"
"That would be rather impractical" Sirius frowned, "then you probably would fall off your broom"
"I was only joking Sirius, I don't plan on getting drunk"
"Did you have fun though?" He asked as they collected up their things and began to make their way towards the castle.
"Yes I did... did you have a good birthday?"
"The best" Sirius grinned.
☽☽☽
As the couple pushed their way through the Gryffindor portrait hole they were immediately greeted by a large yell.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIRIUS" the group chorused.
There had been a large banner drawn over the top of the fireplace reading out the birthday message.
A cake sat on the table surrounded by bottles of butter beer as some of Sirius' favourite muggle songs played through the speakers in the background.
"I told you not to do anything" Sirius laughed as a large smiled spread over his face.
"We had to celebrate" Marlene countered, "it's your birthday... here have a drink"
Sirius opened his butter beer as his eyes graced over the hand made sign,
"Who made that?" He asked in curiosity.
"Rena did obviously" Lily laughed and Sirius turned to Athena in surprise,
"You knew about this?" He chuckled, "you're better at keeping secrets than I thought"
"Come on mate... we've all got you some presents"
Sirius followed James over to the pile of wrapped gifts while repeating time and time again how none of them needed to buy him anything.
Athena sat down on the comfy red sofa beside Remus who was staring down into his butter beer as though it had a bug in it.
"You ok?" She murmured softly causing him to look up, he nodded gently as he pushed his hair out of his face,
"Course I am" he smiled, "it's just... it's nothing"
Athena decided not to ask as Remus turned his attention over to Sirius who had just opened his present from James which was a new broom care kit.
"How was flying?" Her friend turned back to her in curiosity.
"Terrifying... I understand why you don't like heights"
Remus laughed to himself before taking a drink, "it's not the heights that's the problem... it's the idea that you could fall"
"True" Athena nodded, "I guess heights themselves can be rather beautiful... we could see the entire lake from where we were... and the moon"
Remus coughed slightly at the mention of the moon but Athena didn't really notice, her mind was someplace else.
"Remus you utter legend" Sirius called over. The friends looked up to see that Sirius had just unwrapped his present which happened to be some new muggle tapes.
"Him and his muggle music" Athena laughed as Sirius ran over to change the cassette already playing.
The voice of Freddie Mercury filled the air as the Queen cassette played throughout the common room.
"Good choice" Athena muttered to Remus who just smiled again,
"I know, I have immaculate taste"
Sirius received a jumper from Lily, some cauldron cakes from Mary, a band t shirt from Dorcas and Marlene and a new note book from Peter.
His only present left was a small tightly wrapped one in silvery expensive looking paper.
"There's no tag?" Sirius frowned as he turned the parcel over in his hands, "where did this come from"
"An owl delivered it while you were out" James explained, "screech owl I think"
"We thought you might know who it's from" Peter shrugged,
"I don't" Sirius muttered, "this isn't from you is it Rena?"
"I already gave you your present" Rena answered as she moved over to sit on the floor next to Sirius.
He gently began opening this stiff paper as he pulled it away from a slender black box,
"Well someone's got taste" Dorcas murmured as he opened the box to reveal a silver pendant necklace.
On the end of the chain sat a purple crystal along with a silver charm depicting a constellation.
"Canis Major" Sirius murmured as he ran his thumb over the stars.
"Bless you?" James frowned as he lurked over Sirius' shoulder,
"Canis Major" Sirius repeated, "it's a constellation... the one with the Sirius star in it".
"That's beautiful" Athena mumbled as Sirius placed it around his neck so that it lay on his chest,
"Who would have got you that?" Remus asked,
"I'm not sure" Sirius shrugged, "anyway I'm sure I'll find out".
"Oooh I love this song" Mary called as the song changed.
Remus had picked out the album 'A Night at the Opera" to give the Sirius as it had just come out that year. He may not understand loads about muggle music but he knew a good song when he heard one.
"Which ones this?" James asked as he turned the tape over in his hands.
"39" Athena replied, her father had been playing this album consecutively all summer meaning she knew it well.
In the year of '39 assembled here the volunteers
Sirius took Athena's hand as the group laughed and danced around. She just smiled at him feeling the happiness radiate off him as he experienced one of the best birthdays he would ever have.
In the days when lands were few
It seemed everyone was dancing now, even those who didn't know the song could appreciate the sounds as they span around smiling to each other.
Here the ship sailed out into the blue and sunny morn
As usual James and Sirius had began to sing. They always loved putting on some sort of performance. They stepped up onto the coffee table in the centre of their seating place as they used their bottles of butter beer as microphones.
The sweetest sight ever seen
Lily and Mary were clapping along to the music as Marlene lay her head against Dorcas chest. Dorcas wrapped her arms around her best friend, her face filled with a sense of longing.
And the night followed day
Athena found herself dancing with Remus, he held onto her hand as he gently span her around a smirk playing across his lips as he looked down at her.
And the story tellers say
James began doing higher vocals as the group laughed at his poor attempts. The boy seemed not to care as he attempted to hit the highest note.
That the score brave souls inside
Remus smelled like chocolate again, you could always find the boy eating it. She presumed he'd probably just had some before she and Sirius had arrived at the party.
For many a lonely day sailed across the milky seas
She wrapped her hands around him as she rested her head against his chest mirroring Marlene and Dorcas. Remus gratefully hugged her back as he rested his chin on the top of her head.
Ne'er looked back, never feared, never cried
Athena couldn't contain the happiness she felt as she stared up at Sirius and James laughing and dancing around like the idiots they were.
Don't you hear my call though you're many years away
Remus swayed rather dramatically back and forward while holding onto his best friend tightly. Athena just laughed almost feeling as though she was going to fall out his arms but knowing he would catch her.
Don't you hear me calling you
Sirius jumped down from the table and extended his hand to Athena who looked up at Remus before taking it. The brunette boy just nodded down at her while grinning happily.
Write your letters in the sand
Athena hopped up onto the table with James and Sirius and felt both their arms wrap around her shoulders as they continued on singing.
For the day I take your hand
Athena joined in dramatically raising her bottle to her lips trying not to laugh all the while.
In the land that our grandchildren knew
In this moment Athena felt as though she'd never felt so happy in all her life.
☽☽☽
A/n
Word - 3535
published - 30th December 2020
I love Athena and Sirius lmao that wasn't the plan
Also 39 is a top tier queen song and I hope you've all heard it, it's my fave
I just want to be in the marauders era, you kno
I've also changed the face claim for Dorcas to Nathalie Emmanuel because I think she fits better
However you can imagine her any way you want
:)